Contact bank for coordinate switches



.hm'ea, 1925.

0. F. FORSBERG counc'r BANK FOR codamrma swncazs Filed; Feb. 23. 1923 Patented June 9, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR F. FOBSBERG,-OF YONKEIRS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COH- PANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CONTACT BANK FOR COORDINATE SWITCHES.

Application filed February 2a; 1923. Serial No. 620,629,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR F.

a citizen of the United States, residing at Yonkers, in the county of Westchester, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Contact Banks for Coordinate Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description. i This invention relates to improvements in banks of contacts such as are used in machine switching devices.

More particularly it refers to a bank of active contacts employed in the coordinate type of switch disclosed in the British Patent No. 183,438, issued to WesternElectric Company, Limited, accepted September 6, 1923.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved bank of contacts together with a fastening device for such bank which Will be simple, eflicient and cheap to manufacture.

A feature of this invention is the provision of a contact bank comprising active contact members embedded and secured in a moulded strip of insulating material, so formed as to greatly facilitate the assembly of the device of which it forms a part.

Another feature is in the provision of metal plates for reenforcing the contact strip.

Other features of the invention will appear from the following description and the claims appended thereto, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a ri ht-hand side and artial assembly view 0 a coordinate switc showing the bar supporting the contact strips in cross-section, Fig.2 is a lan view thereof,

Fig. 3 is a detail view of Fig. 1 but showing a reenforcing plate and a portion of the bank partially cut away so as to show more clearly the card supports in position in the molded groove and the flattened portion of the active contact wires anchored in the insulation, Fig. 4 is an enlarged lan view of the locking device showing t e fastening portion of four contact strips held in position on the supporting bar, and Fig. 5 is a front and partlal view of a set of active and passive contacts showing the active contacts attached to their supports and the camming card in normal non-operated position.

FORSBERG,

preferably arranged in sets as shown in The strips of contacts shown in Fi s. 1, 2 and 3 comprise a rectangular sha e bar 10 preferably made of plastic insulating material in which the contact wires 11, 12, 13 and 11, 12, 13, etc. are anchored by means of flattened portions at 14, 15 and 16 shown in the sectional view of Fig. 2, and in the cut away portion of Fig. The contact wires 11, 12, 13 and 11, 12, 13, etc. are

Figs. 1 and 3 and for each set there is provided a card support 19, 20, 21, etc., each of which is positioned in its respective recess 17, 18, etc., molded in one side of the insulating bar 10 and held therein by means of the reenforcing metal plates 23 and 24 which are rigidly attached, one on each side of the insulating bar 10 by means of eyelets 25, 26, 27 etc. I

The fixed end portion of each of the card supports 19, 20,'21,'etc.term'inates in the shape of a ring 19 which is made to fit tightly into the molded recess of the insulating bar and around the eyelets used for uniting the reenforcing plates 23 and 24 and insulating bar 10 thereby securing the card support against any lengthwise movements.

The reenforcing plate 23 is arranged in a lengthwise groove 29 molded in the insulating bar- 10. The plate 24 is made channelshaped and along one of the sides are made a number of notches 30 which register with the grooves 17, 18, etc., of the insulating support 10. The card supports thread through the notches 30 and are supported thereby when acted upon by the resistance of the active contact wires or when acted upon by the lifting fingers as shown at 37 of Fi 1.

The coordinate switch above referre to comprises generally a. plurality of c0axi ally disposed strips of contacts 10 which are positioned on the supporting notched bar 34 held-securely on. the switch frame not shown.

The strips 10 shown in Fig. 4 are securely held on the bar 34 by means ofv a notched disc 35 which is rotatably mounted on pivot 38 screwed in the bar 34. The notch 36 of disc 35 is provided to make possible the removal of any contact strip in that group individually. In that event, it is only necessary to loosen the screw 38 and to rotate the disc until its notched portion is in juxtaposition with the fastening portion of the bank to be removed. Similarly, for assembling the banks on their supporting bar, the disc is rotated alternatively so as to move its notched portion with respect to the fastening end portion of each bank. hen the banks are in position, the disc is then rotated until its notched portion is in the position shown in Fig. l and the screw 38 is then tightened.

hat is claimed is:

1. In a switch structure, the combination of a block of insulating material, sets of contacts anchored therein, a plurality of grooves therein for locating a plurality of supporting springs, and an abutment at each end of said block integrally formed therewith for locating said block on. its supporting bar in the switch "frame.

2. In a contact bank, the combination of an oblong shaped insulating block for supporting a plurality of sets of active contact wires, a plurality of supporting springs arranged at intervals in grooves therein, and means attached to said block for securing said supporting springs collectively.

3.111 a contact banl: for a cmirdinate switch, the combination of molded block of insulating material for supporting sets of active contacts, a plurality of support ing springs located in grooves therein, and a channel-shaped band of metal securing said springs in said grooves.

4. In a contact bank, the combination of a molded block of insulating material, a plurality of grooves molded therein at intervals in which supports are positioned, a channel-shaped band of metal attached to said block securing said supports in said grooves, and means along one edge of said bank for retaining said supports in position on said bank.

5.111 a coordinate switch structure, a strip of active contacts comprising a block of insulating material, contacts moulded therein, grooves molded at intervals tlierei for locating a plurality of supporting springs, a metal band on one side of said block for reentorcing the same, another plate on the opposite side for reentorciug said block and for securing said supports in position thereon, means for :lastening said plates on said block and to assist in retaining said supports in the grooves of said block.

(5. In a contact device, a rigid strip of moulded insulating material with a plurality of sets of spring contacts moulded therein and projecting therefrom, a corresponding plurality of supporting springs placed in suitable grooves moulded in said strip and secured thereto by rivets.

7. In a contact device, a rigid strip of moulded insulating material with a plurality of sets of spring contacts moulded therein and projecting therefrom, a corresponding plurality of supporting springs placed in grooves moulded in said strip, areenforcing bar with a corresponding plurality ol notches placed over said strips and said supporting springs, and a corresponding plurality of securing means for fastening the whole together to form a. unitary structure.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 16 day of February A. 1)., W123. 

